I have been meaning to blog of late, but due to the pressing demands of work and the relaxation that follows at home, I have been unable to garner enough time and enthusiasm to blog one out. What follows is an apology post – of sorts.
On the sixth of this month, Rissa and I attended a performance of the Trans-Siberian orchestra at the local arena. I was quite unprepared for their brand of music, as I had heard of the band only in passing, and that too in relation to their take on Christmas carols. I went prepared for a lot of holiday cheer and merriment. Found instead, a former heavy metal band from the 80s, unable to shake their roots in terms of sound, and pyrotechnics inculcated in the show. It was a feast for the senses as the sold out HSBC arena (some 14,000 people) rocked to their take on "Joy to the World", "Christmas Canon", "Noel" and the like. I must admit, once I overcame my initial shock, the show was thoroughly enjoyable. As soon as I get my hands on Rissa’s phone I will upload a couple of crude videos of their performance that night. The songs still ring in my head, and I am unable to listen to any Christmas carol since then, without overlaying their rendition on the same.
On the thirteenth, mom invited me along with her friend and the friend’s family for the Broadway hit, Mamma Mia in ROC. Featuring hit songs from ABBA interwoven around a storyline featuring a girl’s quest to find her father at the eve of her wedding, the play, sometimes enjoyable and sometimes just cheesy, featured some sub-par acting, but some truly inspired singing. I don’t know what might be considered worse: that I went to the ABBA musical, or that I knew each and every song by heart. I shall keep quiet on that one. But a couple of performances stood out this day, especially that of Kittra Wynn Coomer who played the part of Rosie. She simply stole the show from under every other performers’ feet. There were a number of production glitches, which no doubt dampened the effect of the song underlying the skit, but over all, one walked away, quite entertained.
And now it is back to chopping wood and grunting for me.